FAIRY TALE CASTLE FIT FOR A PRINCESS

CHALLENGING This delightful toffeeflavoured sponge castle is sure to be greeted with pure delight – a perfect centrepiece for any birthday party. Believe me, it looks more difficult to make than it actually is – my instructions will guide you through. Serves 25 For the toffee cakes 280g (10oz) unsalted butter, really soft, diced, plus extra for greasing 280g (10oz) self-raising flour

1½tsp baking powder

5 eggs, lightly beaten

160g (5¾oz) golden caster sugar 120g (4¼oz) light muscovado sugar 1tsp vanilla extract For the toffee buttercream 480g (1lb 1oz) unsalted butter, softened

120g (4¼oz) light muscovado sugar 4tbsp golden syrup

2tbsp double cream

2tsp vanilla extract

400g (14oz) icing sugar To decorate 250g (9oz) royal icing powder

1kg (2lb 4oz) pale pink sugar paste 5 pointed ice cream cones

A tub of 100s and 1,000s sprinkles 250g (9oz) white sugar paste

A pot of 4mm glimmer pearls in violet and pink and a pot of glimmer flowers (from cake decorating shops or online)

100g (3½oz) mini marshmallows

Preheat the oven to 180° C/fan

160° C/gas 4. Butter the 2 x 20cm tins and the 15cm tin and line the bases with parchment. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl, add the butter, eggs, sugars and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer until well blended. Do not over- mix. Divide between the 3 tins to equal depths. Bake the cakes for 20-25 minutes, until a skewer emerges clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Remove the papers and leave to cool fully.

For the toffee buttercream, put 160g of the butter in a pan with the muscovado sugar and syrup. Heat over a low heat until a deep caramel colour. Remove from the heat and add the cream and vanilla extract. Stir until you have a smooth, shiny caramel. Using an electric mixer, beat the remaining butter until pale and fluffy. Add the icing sugar and beat for at least 5 minutes, or until light and creamy. Beat in the cooled toffee mixture.

Using a serrated knife, trim the cooled cakes level. Sandwich the

2 x 20cm cakes with buttercream, making sure the flat bottom of one cake is uppermost. Cut the 15cm cake in half horizontally and sandwich back together with buttercream, making sure its flat

bottom is uppermost. Make up the royal icing as directed on the pack. Use a blob of it to stick the 20cm cake to its 20cm board, and the

15cm cake to the stacked 15cm drums. Spread the remaining buttercream all over both cakes and the sides of their board/drums.

On a work surface dusted with icing sugar, roll out 2 circles of pink sugar paste about 5mm thick and large enough to cover each cake and the sides of their cake board and drums. Use the circles to cover the cakes, gently rubbing the tops and sides until smooth.

Adhere the large cake to the 30cm drum with royal icing. Insert 4 of the dowels evenly, in a square shape in the centre under where the top tier will sit, to support it. Push each stick down on the board until it will go no further, then mark with a pencil 1mm above the surface. Remove each rod, score where it is marked with a knife and snap off at that point. Replace the rods in the holes. Spread a little royal icing on top and place the 15cm cake, on its drums, on top. To make your turrets and decorations, see steps 1-4 on the opposite page.

To finish your castle cake, stick mini marshmallows with royal icing around the edge of the cakes and stick a sugar pearl on each with royal icing. Place a little royal icing in a piping bag. Using the No 1 nozzle, pipe windows and flower stems and leaves, and stick on glimmer flowers with royal icing. Take some of the piece of reserved white sugar paste to make a door – using a small knife, cut a square and round off the top, and create a criss- cross pattern using the back of a knife. Attach the door to the cake with royal icing, stick on 2 sugar pearl handles and surround the door with mini marshmallows, securing with royal icing as you go. To make the heart decoration, cut out a heart shape in white sugar paste, spread with royal icing and sprinkle with 100s and 1,000s. Stick onto the cake with royal icing.